Many people yearn after a flat stomach or a six pack because they want to look good. But have you ever really thought of what a strong core does for you? Not only do you look great in that swimsuit, but abdominal muscles are really the core of all of your body movements.

If you find it hard to fit time in to go to the gym or don’t want to pay the membership fee, but still want to build strength, here are some easy home based exercises to try:

Pushups – This is the standard chest exercise that can be practiced anywhere. Pushups not only work your chest, but help tone the rest of your body,

Besides looking slimmer, core exercises play an important role you your overall health and fitness. You can think of your core or stomach as the center piece to your entire body. It connects and holds all other areas together.

Pilates is a physical exercise program that was first developed in the early 20^th century by a man named Joseph Hubertus Pilates. He developed the exercise program with the aim to heal returning veterans from World War I.

Most of us wait until after New Years to implement our New Years resolutions. Instead of using January 1^st as an excuse to procrastinate before you start getting into shape, take the necessary steps right now and you will have a head start on everybody else.

If an apple has no core does it exist? It’s a silly question, but not one that doesn’t have merit. When you think about working out and getting stronger, with bigger muscles or a toned body, do you think about what is holding it all together?

It’s the core. Like a fresh juicy apple, the core is what holds all the better looking parts together.

Got some love handles you want to trim down? Core training is now known as the most important exercise you can do. Not only is it sexy to have ripped abs, but there are so many real benefits to having a strong stomach. You use your abs more then you think.  Strong abs play a major factor in almost every sport, as well as day to day activities such as lifting, sitting and walking.  Developing your core will help prevent back injuries, which has to be on the top of the list for chronic pain for anyone 30 years and older.  If you put some time in every week working on your core, you will save yourself years of pain down the road, not to mention you will look better and feel stronger.